From The Pit
by Tjin
Summary: Something has come out of the hell mouth.
1. From The Pit

He gripped the cliff face with hands bloody from the jagged edges of the rocks.  
  
He could not remember how long he had climbed, how many times he had fallen. Or worse, been dragged down by the creatures from the pit.  
  
He had forgotten more fight's then most immortals fought in there eternity.  
  
Forcing his straining muscles he forced himself up several more inches of the rock face.  
  
Opening his eyes he looked around at the walls of the pit he was in. It had taken him an eternity but he had almost reached the top. He had almost achieved his escape.  
  
Looking down at the near bottomless pit he gazed over the empty, nearly razor sharp rocks he had climbed, from the multitude that had followed him up only four remained to follow in his steps. With a feeling of loss he thought back to the millions of faces that had gripped the small sliver of hope he had managed to conjure as they started the exodus so many centuries ago.  
  
Shaking off the feeling he quickly turned his attention back to the task at hand, it had been he who had freed the shattered souls so long ago. In a fight that had raged from one side of hell to the other they had forced their way out.  
  
He had led them to this pit and started the climb to the surface. So many had been pulled back to the fiery pits they were escaping, so many giving up hope and sliding back down into the flames.  
  
So many lost because of him.  
  
With rage fueling him he forced his way up again.  
  
Looking up he could see the darkness of a cave, the cold welcoming world they had left so long ago.  
  
He could not remember if it was an eternity or a day before he found himself unable to continue, no longer due to exhaustion but due to the barrier known as the Hellmouth.  
  
Waiting for the others in silence he watched the comings and goings of nightlife on the mortal plain.  
  
As the last one reached the top they looked at each other in silence for a moment before nodding.  
  
They knew what was required of them. They where the greatest warriors of the escape, the four generals of his army.  
  
He did not care what their crimes were in life, he knew only that they had redeemed themselves through victory against Gog himself.  
  
Placing their hands against the shimmering barrier the five beings pushed, they knew it would strip them of nearly all their powers, they knew it may well shatter there very souls. They knew, and did not care.  
  
As his fingertips felt the cold air of the mortal realm he felt his companions start to falter. Their strength was nearing an end.  
  
With a surge he broke the barrier, once free he pulled himself to the edge before turning back, the four were holding on to the edge, lacking the strength to pull themselves to freedom.  
  
Gripping the edge tightly he leaned down and gripped the hand of his oldest general. She had been with him from the beginning, she had watched as he had freed himself from the shackles of Abbedon. She had been the first to rally to his call. In the millenniums since that time neither had asked each others names, it simply wasn't important.  
  
Pulling her up he made sure she was well back from the pit before returning.  
  
This time he grabbed the newest of his generals, a man he had found in the Gladiator pits of Asforoth.  
  
He wiped his forehead with his hand and brought it back with a mix of blood and sweat as he moved back to help the others.  
  
His strongest General had made it up and the two of them helped up the last female, a woman he had brought out of the Abyss.  
  
As the three of them moved back to the other two he idly watched as the Hellmouth closed once more.  
  
They rested for a moment before he wiped the blood away from his eyes and forced himself to his feet.  
  
They had been walking towards the surface for several minutes before the first interruption stepped out in the form of several Vampires in full game face.  
  
The lead Vampire looked at the five armored humans with a sneer. "Well boys, looks like dinner has been delivered." He said as he looked at them for a moment before shrugging "Eat the bastards and leave the two chicks for later... I think we need some company tonight"  
  
The Warlord looked the vampires over with disdain before waving off the approach of the others.  
  
The lead Vamp stared as only one moved up. He took a moment to look the human over again. He would almost swear the blood bag was smiling behind the mask.  
  
The Warlord smiled as he slipped into a combat position.


	2. From the Pit 2

The first move was made by the Warlord.  
  
Moving forward with lightning speed he leapt into a flying clothesline, using his momentum he gripped the neck of the first vampire, swinging around he heard the sickening snap of the creature's neck as he landed a heavy kick to the nose of the second. The force of that impact shoving the nose bone up into the unfortunate creature's brain. Landing from the maneuver he continued to twist until the first vampire joined the second as dust on the cavern floor.  
  
Dodging the clumsy blows of the third vampire he bided his time for mere seconds, ducking under a heavy haymaker the Warlord stepped behind and delivered a straight punch to the small of the creature's back. As the spine shattered the third vampire collapsed to the floor. A heavy kick to the neck ripped its head off before it dusted.  
  
Turning he was mildly surprised when the fourth connected with a heavy right to the temple driving him to the floor. Blocking the follow-up kick he held the leg and lashed out with his own. As his kick connected with the vampire's knee he shoved the held leg away.  
  
The momentum of the sudden twist in the vampire turned the break into something much more drastic as it forced the break to twist, fracturing the bone even more.  
  
As the fourth collapsed the Warlord kipped to his feet, seeing the last two advancing he snap kicked the fourth in the head silencing his screams of pain as the vampire collapsed unconscious.  
  
Snapping a quick jab to the fifth's nose he followed up by grabbing the jaw and jerking, forcibly dislocating the leech's jaw, he quickly followed up with a heavy cross that shattered it and dropped the creature to the floor.  
  
His attention to five nearly cost him as the last vampire pulled a heavy hunting knife and closed carefully with the human that had decimated his children.  
  
Dancing back from the knife slash the Warlord considered his options for several seconds before moving.  
  
As the vampire jabbed again the warrior stepped forward and grabbed the knife hand in a steel grip, twisting it around behind the vampire's back he grabbed a handful of hair and jerked the head backwards into the blade.  
  
As the vampire collapsed the Warlord pulled a light katana loose and quickly severed the creature's head from its body, it was followed by the fourth and fifth vampires.  
  
Taking a moment to calm himself he quickly wiped the blade clean of dust before returning it to the sheath on his back.  
  
Less than two minutes since the start of the fight the five warriors continued toward the surface.


	3. From the Pit 3

The five walked out of the crypt and as one stared at the sky.  
  
He remembered the last time he had seen it, it was a clear night like this as he and willow where on there way to the Bronze.  
  
Breaking himself from the sight he slowly reached up and pulled the guard away from his mouth and nose.  
  
For the first time in uncountable centuries he breathed air that was free of the stench of demons.  
  
The five stood like that for several minutes before the pains of there past returned.  
  
Taking one last deep breath he returned the guard and moved through the graveyard.  
  
It was several minutes later that the five stood outside a house and looked at the strangers that lived there. A lifetime ago this was his house, his home.  
  
Now it belonged to someone else. For the first time he actually doubted if returning was a wise choice.  
  
Forcing the doubt away he steeled himself and turned to the other four.  
  
None of them remembered when they had last spoken, over the years of fighting they had formed a type of connection with each other.

"So?" he grated out with unused vocal cords "Where to now?"

His first general looked at the others before back at him "School?" she questioned as he thought for a moment.  
  
Making the decision he nodded and the five fell silent again as they melted into the night.  
  
They where halfway there when the sound of a fight drew there attention to a blonde fighting three vampires.  
  
Buffy was beginning to tire, she had dealt with two of the vampires but the last three where proving harder to stake. A roundhouse kick dropped one, Moving to finish it off She failed to notice one of the other two rip a gravestone out of the earth.  
  
The five watched the fight for a moment as the blonde managed knock one down, the warlord sighed internally as she lost situational awareness, he realized she would die if he didn't intervene as the vampire hefted the huge chunk of granite over his head.  
  
Stepping forward he pulled a small length of carbon black chain, calculating the distance he lashed out.  
  
One end of the chain was attached to his bracer, the other was attached to a heavy spear head.  
  
As the spearhead embedded itself in the vampires back the warlord jerked the creature away from the blond.  
  
Slipping the Katana out he slashed the legs out of the creature before reversing the swing and taking the six inches from his head.  
  
Buffy finished staking the fallen vampires before reversing he grip and stabbing the second as he came up beside her.  
  
Turning to face the last she noticed the gravestone on the ground of the now empty graveyard.  
  
Watching the blond from the shadows he turned a questioning look to his second in command.  
  
With a nod of understanding she led the general from Asforoth towards the school.  
  
Leading the other two they trailed the blond as she made her patrol.


	4. From the Pit 4

The Warlord glanced over as his returning second in command slid up beside him and slowly shook her head.  
  
He nodded once as he thought about what to do next, the school was no longer the base, which meant they had to first find the base they were now using. With a sigh he nodded to the four with him.  
  
With a quick nod the four generals headed around the house.  
  
As he watched them go, the Warlord felt the hair on the back of his neck rise, twisting about he glared into the cold eyes of the blonde he had been following.  
  
Dropping low he lashed a kick out to her head, and slowly stood up as the blow passed through her.  
  
The blonde stared at him for several seconds before smiling. "If your gonna kill them in there, leave the blonde alone." she said before smiling and moving foreword "I can make it worth your while."  
  
The warlord could feel the mental persuasion the specter was forcing on him as it moved closer. Focusing his mind he pulled up thoughts of hell and forced them back along the strands the creature had used to enter his mind.  
  
Flinching back the first lost control of its form and shifted to a dark cloud before shifting back to the blond. "You're strong; perhaps I could persuade you to work for me." She offered as the Warlord stared at her for a second before turning back to the house.  
  
The specter stared at him for several seconds before shifting to the dark cloud again. "This planet is dead, my Toruk-Han will sweep the life from the face of the earth and darkness shall reign for all time." It growled. The Warlord turns and pointedly flips the Dark cloud off before moving from the shadows towards the house leaving an enraged cloud behind him. Walking up the steps of the large house he took a breath before knocking on the door.  
  
Xander groaned as he shifted around the SiT's and opened the door. "Yeah can I help..." he stopped as he looked at the figure before him. A black burka covered the stranger's face and neck, while an armored grey chest plate and shoulder pads where mostly hidden by the dark Gi. With the Carbon black chain wrapped around him and armored leggings combined with the short Katana by his side and the dual Dark Wushu swords on his back the figure was more then a little imposing. With a grin Xander took a step back. "So, I guess the Pizza's gonna be late." He said as he took several steps back.  
  
Stepping over the threshold the Warlord looked around as the young women jumped for weapons before looking back at the dark haired youth. "I need the slayers help to open the Hellmouth."  
  
Xander stared at the figure for a moment before turning back into the house. "BUFFY IT'S FOR YOU!"


	5. From the Pit 5

The Warlord looked around at the assembled teens with barely contained disgust; here were a handful of adolescent teens with little to no training and they attempted to fight a demonic entity in a location of ITS choosing.

Swearing to himself the warlord looked them over again before having his attention drawn to the four new faces coming in from the kitchen.

The first was the blonde he had saved earlier; she had an air of arrogance about her that set off warning bells for the warlord.

The second was an older British man with a tainted feel of old magic and older knowledge. Smiling to himself and the warlord realized he had much to do with the survival of those gathered here.

The third was also the youngest of the new arrivals; the young teen had a feeling of family with the blond, even as she radiated alien energy and New' blood that confused him.

The final to exit was a young man with a touch of darkness on his soul.

Stepping forward he nodded to the older man. "We have need of your assistance to open the Hellmouth."

The Warlord watched as the blonde stared at him for a second before she started to laugh. "Well at least I don't have to chase you all over town to slay you." She said before picking up a sword.

The Warlord glanced at the short blonde for a second before shrugging. "I wasn't talking to you, I need the slayer's help to open the Hellmouth." He repeated as he looked back at the others. "If you will please tell me where she is we will be on our way."

He was cut off by the blonde. "HEY, I already said I'm not going anywhere with you." She shouted as she moved through the crowded teens.

Staring at the small blond for a moment the Warlord sighed before shifting out his senses in search of the slayer.

(First General.)

The General moved around the house as she tried to gauge the defensives capabilities when a slight breeze brought a warning and a command from the warlord.

The blonde is hostile, do NOT engage. Find and defend the Slayer.

Stopping to think on it for a second the General jumped and got a grip on the roof before pulling herself up.

Walking around she looked in the windows until she finally caught sight of the dark haired slayer as she talked to a balding man in a suit. Looking closer for a second she sent a message back to the Warlord before slipping into the house. Slayer found, Specter is attacking her, moving to engage.

(Second General.)

The General patrolled the outside perimeter as he silenced his disgust at the inhabitants of the house.

Here they were in the middle of a conflict and they had no patrols, no sentinels and no defensive constructs.

Moving through the grass he listened to the Warlord's warning to the first general before continuing his patrol.

Even a small detachment could get right next to there barracks before they were seen.he thought in disgust again before moving off to see to the rear defenses.

He knew an attack was going to happen soon and he needed to know where everyone was going to be needed.

(Third General.)

She stood in the room in silence as she realized how little it had changed since she was last here.

Idly rubbing the bullet wound Tara listened as the other generals' thoughts as they tried to support their warlord in the way they were best suited.

Her musing was cut short as a crash from the hallway and a mental yell from the First general warned her she was needed.

Turning towards the crash she came face to face with a familiar redhead as she exited the connected bathroom in a rush.

(Fourth General.)

Fighting, that was all he was good at now.

Once he had been good at something else, he knew he had been.

But in the last couple hundred years he had forgotten bits and pieces of his life until he only knew one thing.

The fighting.

Sneaking up on the corpse had been easy as he slipped into the shadows and approached the blond vampire.

(Spike)

Spike grinned as he puffed on the cigarette, he had everything he wanted.

Blood, true it wasn't the freshest stuff he could have gotten but the bagged kind didn't lose much of the flavor. A spot of violence to keep life interesting, and the Slayer.

Grinning again he crushed the cigarette and turned towards the house and his world exploded in pain as he felt something impact his jaw and shatter it like glass as his head snapped around. Idly he noted the sound of his neck snapping before the world blinked off like a television and he was allowed to black out completely.

(First General.)

She listened to the conversation between the slayer and the specter as she tried to gage wither or not to intercede.

"Hey I get a meeting from the grateful dead on my first night back? I'm touched really." Faith growled as she rolled out of bed and glared at her old boss.

"Come on, deep down, you always wanted Buffy to accept you, to love you even. Why do you think that is?"

"You a shrink now?" Faith challenged as the General moved towards the specter from the shadows of the closed door as it started to pace.

"You keep looking for love and acceptance from these people, these friends of yours, but you're never gonna find it. The truth is, nobody will ever love you. Not the way I…" with a scream it's taunting was cut short as the general shoved her claws into the incorporeal shadow's head and started to force her way into its spirit.

With a surge of will the shadow forced its way back in control before disappearing in a wink of light.

Opening her eyes the general saw the fist a moment to late to avoid it.

As it impacted she felt herself lifted off the ground before she slammed into the door behind her and tumbled into the hallway.


	6. From the Pit 6

Hearing the crash from above, the Warlord assessed the situation and made a decision.

Engage and capture primary targets, Slayer, Witch, Mage and Vampire are all required, Do not damage the others. GO

--

(First General)

Rolling with the punch lessoned the impact considerably.

Not that the punch didn't still lift her off the ground, but it didn't knock her unconscious like it could have.

Twisting her body to take the impact she sent out a thought to the Third general before she crashed into the door and skidded out into the hallway.

--

(Second General)

Moving towards the back door, he let a sliver of his power out and felt his form shift as he stepped into the nether realm so that he could pass through the solid door and into the kitchen area of the house.

Holding his power at the ready, he allowed himself to materialize before he gripped the older male around the throat and shifted them both back into the nether.

Moving in this manner was painful, but it made him immune to all but the most dedicated attacks.

--

(Third General.)

Tara stared at her lover for a moment before she recognized the buildup of power from the young witch.

Dropping under the magical pulse, Tara charged the redhead and growled as her punch went through the space the witch had occupied mere moments before.

Cursing herself for not remembering that she could teleport, Tara turned as the red witch sent a second magic blast at her.

Unable to avoid it, the blonde gritted her teeth as she shifted her own magic to the front and allowed it to connect with Willow's.

While the actual damage was negligible at the cancellation of such a powerful attack, the feedback from loosing so much power that quickly shocked Willow into unconsciousness.

Leaving the redhead for the moment, Tara turned towards the door and charged through to support the first General in her fight with the slayer.

--

(Fourth General.)

Glaring at the downed corpse, he momentarily resisted the urge to dust the creature before looking up at the gasp from the second individual.

Glaring at the small male he felt the blood rage well up as he recognized the form of the person responsible for his incarceration in hell.

Hefting the corpse to his shoulder the ex-gladiator left the shocked form of his one time friend behind him as he headed for the rendezvous with the others.

Behind him Andrew continued to stare in shock at the area recently vacated by Jonathan Livingston.

--


End file.
